Repressors report fewer intrusions following a laboratory stressor: the role of reduced stressor-relevant concept activation and inhibitory functioning.
This study investigated whether a repressive coping style is associated with fewer intrusions following an experimentally controlled stressor. Furthermore, we examined whether lower activation of stressor-relevant concepts in long-term memory and better inhibitory functioning may contribute to this association. Extreme-scoring participants on a trait anxiety and a social desirability scale were selected to form repressor (n=35), low anxious (n=15), high anxious (n=30), and defensive (n=21) groups. In line with predictions, repressors reported fewer intrusions following a failure manipulation compared to non-repressors. Furthermore, pre-stressor inhibitory functioning was negatively associated with color-naming interference of stressor-related words. This suggests that overall, higher inhibitory control is related to lower activation of failure-related concepts. However, there was no evidence that concept activation and inhibitory control were responsible for repressors' lower number of self-reported intrusions.
Overwijk
Sippie
S
Clinical and Developmental Psychology, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Wessel
Ineke
I
de Jong
Peter J
PJ
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D001290:Attitude; D003071:Cognition; D003201:Computers; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D012094:Repression, Psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities